Chairman Hails RSG’s Directive On Mile Three Park

Chairman Hails RSG’s Directive On Mile Three Park

The recent order by the Rivers State Government on the use of the Mile 3 bus stop built by the government as a Loading Park by bus drivers has been described as a welcome development.

The Chairman of Rumuokoro, Mile 4, Rukpoku line at Mile 3 Motor Park, Mr. Ade Umerukini made this assertion during a chat with The Tide at Mile 3 Park on Monday.

According to him, the order had brought sanity to the Park as all drivers plying the route now load and offload their passengers in the park orderly.

Mr. Umerikini said the directive would help traffic decongestion and give the area facelift and appealed to the government, the Police, TIMA-RIV and the Sanitation Authority to ensure that the order is being carried out to its letter.

He called on the drivers to always conduct themselves and use the government approved Motor Park to avoid further embarrassment by the law enforcement agencies.

“I use this medium to appeal to all drivers to obey government directive and use the park to do their business as other units and not to confront the government”, he said.

Mr. Umerukini assured that with government assistance, they would maintain the situation as they have seen the beauty of Ikwerre road at that axis now.

The Chairman also used the forum to appeal to the government to tamper justice with mercy by releasing those genuine drivers who were arrested during the protest at Mile 3 recently as they have learned their lessons.

Meanwhile, some drivers plying Mile 3 to Mile 4, Rumuokoro, Rukpoku and Igwuruta routes said since they were directed to load and off-load inside the Mile 3 Park, the business had been suffering.

A bus driver, Cyril Ekejiuba said when they were loading outside the park, they operate more trips than now as they waste time queing up for their turn and could not even make correct account to the owners of the vehicle.

Another driver, Chikezie Ebuka said since morning till this afternoon, he had only gone two trips after paying ticket of N200 and N300 loading fee, appealing to the authorities to allow them to load at the Mile 3 bus stop as that of Emenike Junction, and that any defaulter should be arrested.

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Monarch Tasks RSG, NDDC On Chokota-Umuebulu Road

The Onye Ishi Ala Chokota in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze I.S. Wekeh, has appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to add Chokota-Ikwerengwo-Umuebulu Road to their respective priority projects with a view to rehabilitating the road.

Eze Wekeh who made the appeal recently while speaking with newsmen urged the state government to come to the aid of the residents in the area, saying the area hosts several oil wells mined by Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC), therefore playing a key role in the revenue generation of the nation.

According to him, “during the time the present state government flagged-off the construction of Igbo-Rumuokwurusi Road, there was an assurance that Chokota-Ikwerengwo-Umuebulu Road will be rehabilitated, but we are still hopeful that the road is still dear to his heart, as we are still expecting result. I am also appealing to NDDC to come to the aid of the inhabitants of the area as well as the multinational corporation operating in the area”.

A resident in the area, Mrs Adaku Amadi, who spoke to The Tide, said “Things are very difficult here for us due to the bad road. Our mothers use to go to the farm with bicycle or motor cycle and they usually fall on the bad road. Some pregnant women will deliver without any medical treatment because of lack of access to medication due to bad road. So we are appealing to government to help us alleviate this suffering by rehabilitating the road”.

Another resident in the area, Mr Paul Wosu, said “my brother, we use to suffer here and we are expecting government to do something, even NDDC as an interventionist agency to come to our aid. Now you can drive in because everywhere is dry, but during the rainy season, you can not dare it, because the flood will drown you. We are still appealing for positive response from the relevant authorities”.

It would be recalled that the NDDC had sometime in 2006 promised to fix the road as part of their priority projects, but could not mobilise to site till date a result, the state government promised to rehabilitate the road.

Flyover: Commissioner Calls For Patience Over Traffic Congestion

Following the ongoing construction of Rumuokoro flyover by the construction giant, Julius Berger Plc, the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Austin Ben Chioma, has urged motorists and road users to exercise patience and bear with the traffic situation as the construction of the flyover project progresses.

The Commissioner made the appeal on Monday in a chat with newsmen while supervising the demolition of structures at the garrison flyover construction site in Port Harcourt

He noted the traffic problems associated with the construction of Rumuokoro flyover and assured that measures would be put in place to ensure free flow of traffic at Rumuokoro.

According to him, “The company has just started the flyover at Rumuokoro, Very soon, we will work out modalities to alleviate the flow of traffic at that area. I appeal that people, especially motorists should exercise patience pending when the project will be completed. It is for the good of the whole”.

The Tide reports that Julius Berger, had since last week, blocked one of the two lanes along Eliozu-Rumuokoro Road, leaving one lane to serve the motorists.

Meanwhile, The Tide gathered that some policemen and soldiers from Bori Camp were collecting N50 each from commercial drivers who run one way along Eliozu route.

Speaking to The Tide, a taxi driver who plies Rumuokoro-Eliozu route, John Jide, said, “soldiers from Bori Camp came on the road through their back gate to the road and started collecting N50 with the allegation that we were running against the lane (one way), when it has officially been approved that motorists should use one way pending when there will be alternative provision, as the flyover construction lasts”.

Another taxi driver who plies same route, Igwe Ajam, said “police and army are disturbing us on this route. They extort so much from us. You meet police check point, they will collect N50, you move further you see a gang of soldiers, you pay another N50, but private motors that are also running that same one way are allowed to go free.

“Their target is commercial taxi, we want government to look into this because we are not deliberately running one way if not for the approval of the authorities that be”.